Feeling Beautiful

By Miss Adventure

Yesterday while I was waiting to meet up with my roommate at Target, I decided to walk by the clothing. That was a mistake since I wasn't planning to spend any money on clothes (why do we tempt ourselves like that?). While scanning the racks, the prettiest purple dress jumped out and begged me to try it on, so I did. After all, maybe it wouldn't look good or fit right and then I wouldn't have to wonder how it would look anymore. So I looked at the sizes - there were only three, and the first two were too small...but the last one was in my size. I pulled it off and took it to the dressing room and started to put it on and it did not fit! Much much too big! I looked at the size again and managed to miss the added number in front of my size - I had accidentally taken one that was 10 sizes too big!

My roommate came in and offered to go get my size, which I knew wasn't there, but she brought me the next size down. I was pretty sure it would not fit (after all, I'd eaten a lot this summer and my stomach and hips were on the larger size of normal so no chance of being a size smaller). It did fit though - it fit PERFECTLY. In fact, not only was it a size smaller than what I normally wear, it was very slimming and the perfect proportions and shape for my body type. How could I not buy it? I felt like a beautiful woman who had just stepped out of the 1950's (it was a retro style) - all I needed was a pearl necklace and high heels to make it absolutely perfect. Though not a necessity and not exactly what I had planned for in my budget, I had to buy it.

Sometimes we need to do things as women that are going to make us feel beautiful - whatever that is - a new pair of shoes, a dress, a new haircut, toning up a bit, wearing beautiful jewelry... We don't need to do this to make us beautiful - because we already are! Each of us have beauty unique and special all our own, but there's something about feeling beautiful that makes us glow a little more and gives us enough of that boost of confidence that helps us hold our heads a little higher and causes people to take a second look. I've learned that really beauty comes from the inside - not the outside. Yes, the outside can be beautiful but haven't you ever noticed that people grow prettier or uglier depending on their personality and character? They do for me at least. There's almost nothing more beautiful than a women who knows who she was created to be, rejoices in that, holds her head high and makes the most of what she was given - physically, spiritually, and in her personality.

Growing up, I certainly did not feel beautiful on the outside and I think because of that I didn't always allow people to see my inner beauty either. I remember this story I was told at camp -it was a great story about a woman who was not attractive and no one in the village ever thought she would get a husband who would pay anything for her (in this village the man had to pay the father for her hand). No one thought that until Johnny Lingo came along and paid eight cows for her! That was unheard of and no one understood it. He took her as his wife and moved her away from the village. Later, when story teller went to visit Johnny, he didn't recognize Johnny's wife - it wasn't the same woman from the village. It couldn't be, this woman was beautiful! But it was the same woman, it was just that being loved and treasured had given her a reason to feel beautiful. She began to show the beauty that was always there but just masked by her self-doubt. I think that's really true for us too. When we realize we are special and treasured and start to act that way, we begin to show our true beauty.

Yes, It Has Happened to Me

By Miss Adventure

One of the first things I'd like to share with you all is a moment in my life that I thought only happened on TV or in the movies. A few years ago, I received a letter in the mail from my grandmother. I opened the fat envelope and in it was an article, several pages long, that I'm sure is from a magazine published in the late 80's. The title was something like, "What's Wrong with Me? Why Can't I Find Someone to Love." Honestly, I don't remember the exact title, but it was something like that. My grandmother was cleaning out old magazines and found this article and thought of me. It had several tips about how to meet a man. It did actually say that there was nothing wrong with me even though I hadn't found the right man yet. Pheww!!! That's reassuring...there's nothing wrong with me even though I AM single.

Now, I know my grandmother did not mean anything by it and really thought she was being helpful. I did not take offense, but I did get a really good laugh out of it. In fact, I posted the whole article on the refrigerator I shared with my two other single roommates in a house where we often welcomed many other singles. I also know that my grandmother does not think there is anything wrong with me. She just thought I might like to read it. My grandmother is an amazing farm women almost ninety now. She did meet and marry the love of her life and they were together until the death of my grandfather parted them. I know she merely wishes for me to find the same happiness she did. And I would like to find that same happiness, but so far it hasn't gone so well.

I think that is a common question single people ask, "What's wrong with me?" I am here to tell you to stop asking that question. We all have our quirks and things we need to work on. None of us are perfect and there is always room for improvement. Does that mean we are not marriage material? No! If that were the case no one would be married.

If you are like me, and I'm a little ashamed to say this, you have probably looked at someone before and thought, "How did they find someone and I haven't?" Comparing ourselves is no good and it is a place we shouldn't go. Some good self-reflection and working to smooth out those rough spots we all have is a good place to go - not because our ultimate goal is to catch that perfect man (because ladies there is no such thing!), but because we want to be best we can be in the way God created us!

Striving to be Christ-like is where we should be focused - not striving to be "good marriage material". I know some pretty amazing women who are great "marriage material" because they strive to be like Christ. I've known some of them for years. It is not because they are not worthy that they are still single, it is because for whatever reason, God has so far had other plans for them. As they stay focused on Christ, they stop comparing themselves, asking why, and instead lead happy, fulfilled lives of single women!

P.S. - This is where I'd love to hear any of your funny stories similar to mine.

It Begins....

By Miss Adventure

So, here is the inaugural posting on my new blog all about being a single woman who happens to now be in her thirties. I keep thinking about writing a book about this topic because there is so much to say!!! I know because I have so many thoughts about it as do all my girlfriends who also are single. But, reality is, with the busy and somewhat unpredictable life of a thirty-something year old single woman, I will probably never get around to writing that book. So, I thought, "A blog! That's the answer!"

I like the idea of a blog because it allows more discussion anyway. I'd like to hear your responses - YOUR thoughts and experiences on the matter as well. I know if you are a thirty-something year old single woman like myself, you probably have lots to say on the matter.

We are here to talk about the trials, the tribulations, and the JOYS (yes, the joys because there are many!!!!) of being such a woman. Men can also contribute (since I have some great single male friends out there that can also relate to some of our discussions), but I have to go from the perspective that I am a single WOMAN...so really I know I can best speak to women.

Alright, I'm off to the beach...more later.